CataBull

Love it! The updated skating system in this year's edition is the most noticeable new feature, and it brings a massive upgrade to gameplay. One of the coolest additions to this year's game is "World of Chel." Although I still cringe at the name, the new hub brings a bit of freshness to game modes in NHL 19. To enter World of Chel, you create a playable character that can be dropped into a variety of game modes, the popular EASHL online team play mode, the arcade-style NHL Threes mode that was introduced last year, and an awesome new mode called NHL Ones.Playing Ones ( 1v1v1 free-for-all where you race to outscore your other two opponents on the ice ) may bring experienced NHL gamers back to the days of NHL 2006 and the very similar "Free For All" game mode. Either way, it's very welcome addition to NHL's collection of game modes, as it's an addictive and fun way to hone your one-on-one game.Along with World of Chel comes pond hockey venues and a massive upgrade in the player customization department. Users can outfit their playable characters in a wide variety of clothing and equipment, ranging from wacky jackets, sweatshirts and pants to NHL team-branded merchandise and jerseys. You'll rarely see two online characters take to the ice in the same loadout. The customization and breadth of drop-in options brings a bit more depth to the gameplay options and that's a good thing. For offline players, Franchise Mode appears to be largely similar to the product rolled out last year, but with one exception. EA Sports has overhauled the mode's scouting system from top-to-bottom. When you take over a franchise, you're tasked with assembling a team of 20 scouts that will evaluate both pro and amateur talent, meaning the quality of your scouting will likely affect the quality of drafting, trading, and free agency decisions. I didn't get too much of a chance to play around with it (at least not over a long period of time ), but it's something that may be valued by those who invest enough time into franchise mode to play across multiple seasons.